SDSU reaches Final Four with wild finish against Creighton

LOUIVILLE, Kentucky — With 1.2 seconds remaining, Darrion Trammell hit a go-ahead free throw after being fouled on a floater, sending San Diego State to its first Final Four and a 57-56 win over Clayton. bottom. Sunday in the Southern Regional Finals of the NCAA Tournament.

Lamont Butler scored 18 points and Trammell scored 12 over the No. 5 seed Aztecs (31-6), trailing the high-scoring No. 6 seed Blue Jays (24-13), becoming the first Mountain West Conference team to do so. I participated in the national competition. Semifinals.

The seasoned Aztecs, entering their sixth season under coach Brian Dutcher, will take on the stunning Eastern Region champions, ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic, in a national title match in Houston on Saturday.

With the game tied 56-all on San Diego State’s final possession, Trammell drove toward the free-throw line, was lifted for a shot, and fouled by Clayton’s Ryan Nemhardt. Trammell missed his first free throw but converted his second free throw.

Clayton’s Baylor Shireman threw the ensuing inbounds pass at floor length. San Diego State’s Aguek Arop and Creighton’s Arthur Kaluma both jumped and the ball swerved out of bounds. The officials reviewed the play and decided that time had run out, so a celebration was held for the Aztecs.

Shireman tied the game 56-all when he stole an inbounds pass with 34 seconds remaining and scored a layup.

With Ryan Kalkbrenner scoring 17 points and Scheierman and Kaluma scoring 12 each, the Bluejays were 2/17 out of the 3-point range.

Thanks to their defense and physical play, the Aztecs held the Blue Jays to 23 points on 28% shooting in the second half. Clayton shot his 40% of the total.

San Diego State had 38% shooting, but a Nathan Mensah jumper gave the Aztecs a 56-54 lead with 1:37 remaining, and Alop had two straight shots to put San Diego 54-3 at 3. Leading to 50. 03 rest.

After beating San Diego State in overtime in the first round of last year’s NCAA Tournament, Clayton fell short of joining Big East rivals UConn in the Final Four.

Karma faced his brother, Adam Seiko of San Diego State University. Their parents sat quietly for a few rows in the midcourt before joining Seiko for the celebration.